CANADA: RESPONSE TO APPEAL TO DONORS TO ASSIST

UNCLAS OTTAWA 002429 SIPDIS FOR WHA/CAN AND WHA/CAR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EFIN HA CA SUBJECT: CANADA: RESPONSE TO APPEAL TO DONORS TO ASSIST HAITI MEETING FIRST-HALF FY06 FINANCING GAP REF: SECSTATE 145390 ¶1. Canada recently announced C$15 (about US$ 12) in new projects to support Haiti. Minister for International Cooperation Aileen Carroll announced C$5 million (about US$ 4 million) to fund new job creation. The GOC will also commit C$5 million to rehabilitate Haiti's electrical system, in coordination with the U.S. An additional C$5 million will support schools. Most (C$3.6 million) will be quasi-budgetary support for public education to cover items such as salaries, scholarships and pedagogical equipment and C$1.5 million to support private education. ¶2. Overall, Canada has committed C$180 million to Haiti this fiscal year (through March 31, 2006). Of that, C$100 million (about US$ 80 million) has been disbursed and the rest will be disbursed by the end of the fiscal year. On her recent trip to Haiti, Minister Carroll announced a further C$40 million in projects, including the C$5 million for job creation mentioned above. The proposals for electricity and schools will be drawn from the remaining C$40 million. Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa WILKINS